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The exponential growth of Packaging Innovations & Empack
Fresh off a record-breaking 2026 edition, Packaging Innovations & Empack is firmly positioned as the leading annual event for the UK packaging industry, as well as providing a platform for European players.
By David Pittman, senior account manager, Think B2B Marketing P
Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 should prove to be a watershed moment for the packaging industry.
This year’s event in mid-February drew 8,021 unique visitors, the largest-ever audience for the two-day event in its 20-year history. They came to engage with the most representative cross- section of more than 500 exhibitors from up and down the packaging value chain. Those exhibitors were spread across one of the biggest fl oorplans in the 21-show history of Packaging Innovations & Empack, which spread to engulf even more of the space available to it in Halls 2 & 3/3a in 2026. As well as welcoming more attendees who walked more aisles to see more exhibitors, the 2026 edition played host to an extensive educational programme that featured more than 120 leading fi gures and names from government, packaging and brands and retailers, who discussed, dissected and digested the last topics and trends aff ecting the industry today and in the future. Across four stages, sessions were regularly standing room only as Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 sated the industry’s appetite for knowledge and need for insights.
As noted by Josh Brooks, divisional director, packaging portfolio at Easyfairs: “Packed conference sessions, standing-room-only talks and a vibrant show fl oor highlighted how the industry is driving sustainability, advancing technology and rethinking design, and proving that packaging does not follow the market, it sets the pace. Across materials, machinery and circular solutions, the event showcased how innovation translates directly into performance, elevated customer experience and commercial growth.” Yet still this wasn’t the main takeaway from the 2026 event.
READING BETWEEN THE AISLES Rather, the evolution of Packaging Innovations & Empack from a solutions showcase to a full-scale industry event was evident to see in 2026. Specifi cally, the depth and diversity of exhibitors signalled a defi nite shift from previous editions and gave this year’s event a markedly diff erent look and feel. From big-name global players such as Amcor, Esko, Mondi and Sun Chemical, to specialists in the fi elds of labelling and sleeving (Sovereign Labelling Machines), contract packing (Prism eLogistics) and
pallets (Scott Pallets), the entire supply chain was there to see.
More immediately in your face was the look and size of many of the stands at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026. These were designed to grab the attention and inspired the thousands in attendance.
The 3x3m shell scheme approach that Easyfairs events were synonymous with has long been confi ned to the bin. Yes, there are still shell scheme stands on the show fl oor but in many cases, exhibitors are taking bigger spaces, if not three and four sided-stands that are open and give maximum visibility. Some had stands reaching 10-12ft into the air.
Exhibitors are also using their stands to embrace new ways of capturing attention and drawing in leads. Sheard Packaging’s Mobile Innovation Centre (MiC) is a noteworthy example as was the increased amount of working machinery displayed by exhibitors within the Empack portion of the show (pallets and palletising was one of the most interesting examples for anyone walking the aisles this year). There were even light-hearted engagement activities, such as the Prince of Packaging Pub and CBS Packaging Group’s corrugated pool table.
In 2027, expect to see many more overhead banners, as an indication of the way stands at the show are changing and exhibitors are making more of their presence and presentation at Packaging Innovations & Empack.
THE EVOLUTION OF AN EXHIBITION Launched in 2006, Packaging Innovations quickly established a reputation for itself as a go-to event for UK brands and printers seeking partners and suppliers to facilitate ideas and, yes, innovations. Over the following years, the event’s exhibitor base rapidly tripled and brought in participants from Central Europe, North America and Asia, at the same time as many more attendees visited from Benelux, France, Germany, Spain and even MENA. Like all print and packaging industry events,
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March 2026
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